Carrabba’s gives away 1 million products in new promotion

To market its debut of several new menu items, Carrabba’s this week gave away 1 million free dishes to diners nationwide.

Customers wishing to redeem the offer were asked to register for vouchers online. To encourage trial among those who missed the freebie, the casual-dining chain said it will offer 20 percent off of customer checks from Jan. 12 to March 6.

“What better way to introduce these craveable appetizers, small plates and entrees than a chance to sample our revamped menu?” Carrabba’s Chief Marketing Officer Katie Knight said in a statement.

Large-scale giveaways have been the promotion of choice for many major chains seeking to make a splash.

Last year, Taco Bell announced that it would give away free breakfast to “all of America” as part of its World Series marketing campaign—a promotion that cost the chain upwards of $10 million—and earlier this week, Chipotle revealed that product giveaways would be a linchpin in its plan to recover from sales dips spurred by its recent food safety crises.

Winsight is the only B2B media company providing actionable information and market intelligence to business leaders and suppliers in three of the fastest growing industries — convenience retailing, restaurants and noncommercial foodservice.